We have been going to Macau for several years now and I have grown to appreciate the place for various reasons. The fancy hotel stay, the tempting lure of the casinos, the accessibility of the different hotels through their free shuttle bus service, a few historical sites, the perfect mixture of the traditional landscape with modern architecture as exemplified by the luxurious hotels. Of course, it goes without saying that there are all sort of cuisine available to satisfy one's craving.
Macau is a former colony of Portugal. A country which I unfortunately didn't have the pleasure of visiting when we were still based in Europe. Aside from the preserved heritage of tourist attractions, the 'conquerors' of Macau still make their presence felt through the numerous restaurants offering Portuguese food.
Our usual haunts include a restaurant named Madeira which is located within the Venetian Macao complex and Moa Besa, an intimate place that serves authentic culinary delights situated within the tiny alley of Senado Square, the main plaza in Macau.
My sister was recommended by her work colleague to try A Lorcha, a famous restaurant that serves Portuguese dishes. So armed with a picture of a calling card of said restaurant, we boarded two cabs (Macau taxis only take 4 passengers) to have lunch.
It is VERY difficult to communicate with people there as they don't speak English. D and I took the first cab, once we traveled over the long bridge, the taxi driver pointed at some decrepit place and insisted it was "A Lorcha". I had done my research the night before on Google map and I was certain that wasn't the correct address. After walking for several minutes, we reached a taxi stand and thankfully the lady driver knew the place so we made it like 12 minutes past our appointed time of 2 P.M. Luckily, our table was still reserved and not given to someone else.
Judging from the facade of the place, you cannot tell it is a famous eatery. The area itself is off the chosen path and not easily accessible through the free shuttle buses of the fancy hotels. You really need to take either a taxi or know the specific bus which stops near the place.
The interiors are simple yet exude a cozy/homey vibe. Now I understand why you need to reserve as there are very few tables and even if it was already 2 P.M. it was still full and a bit cramped. The service staff were predominately Filipinos, some of them have worked there for decades. They were polite, friendly and not really 'overwhelming', if you know what I mean.
Note: be sure to make reservations as it is always fully booked.
Now on to their dishes, we ordered their specialties which has a distinct taste. Flavorful and delicious, quite rich though so make sure you drink plenty of water.
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| Clams soup |
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| Prawns Thermidore |
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| Grilled African Chicken (spicy) |
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| Char grilled Portuguese Chorizo |
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| Seafood Rice |
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| Serradura (milk and cream pudding with crumbled biscuits) |
It was a pleasant dining experience in a nice place with good service. The food was different but full of flavors. So we are all smiles! =)
